Wilkie backs government on NBN

Communications Minister
Stephen Conroy
has gained ground in his bid to pass laws to split Telstra’s business in two, with Tasmanian independent
Andrew Wilkie
backing government policy.

Mr Wilkie’s declaration is a blow to coalition communications spokesman
Malcolm Turnbull
in a close fight between the major parties over the proposed legislation, which also has support from the Greens and regional independents.

The bill must be decided before Telstra shareholders can vote next year on whether to support the company’s $11 billion in-principle agreement to join forces with the government’s national broadband network.

Mr Wilkie said he would not support Mr Turnbull’s attempt to appoint a committee to oversee the rollout of the NBN and refer the investment for a cost-benefit analysis.

The Tasmanian independent said Mr Turnbull’s plans were unnecessary and could delay the construction of the NBN for political reasons.

“This is a strategic nation-building project that will prepare Australia for the future," he said in a statement.

NSW independent
Tony Windsor
on Tuesday again backed the government’s NBN policy while colleague
Rob Oakeshott
has in the past praised the idea of building a national broadband network.

Greens MP
Adam Bandt
is expected to vote for the government’s bill because his party backs the NBN despite having a significant difference of opinion with Labor over whether to privatise the NBN Co after the network is built.

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Tuesday’s developments are a significant win for Senator Conroy and the government because they increase the chances that the bill will pass through the lower house before parliament rises for the year on November 25.

The Senate’s vote remains unclear, however, with South Australian independent
Nick Xenophon
seeking more scrutiny of the NBN plan.

The support of the Greens would be enough to pass the legislation after July 1, when the party gains the balance of power in the upper house in its own right.

Before then, however, Labor would need the support of Senator Xenophon and Family First’s
Steve Fielding
.

Senator Fielding told The Australian Financial Review last week that he needed more information from the coalition to see if its policy made sense.